Changes in the reception of Communion from a Sociological
perspective

From a purely sociological standpoint, the
following quotation was written by Paul Williams, a lecturer in Religious
Studies in an American University (as of 1980):

"The doctrine of
transubstantiation remained intact. Yet, it no longer meant the same. Prior to
the liturgical reform, this doctrine was dramatized by the repetitive stress
placed on the ineffable sacredness of the Host. For in the wafer raised by the
priest to the ringing of bells and the beating of breasts was the actual Body
and Blood of Jesus Christ, the spotless Victim that could not be touched by
unconsecrated hands. A great part of the Tridentine liturgy assumed the form of
progressive obeisance to a thing untouchable. A priest could raise the Host only
with his canonical digits - the thumb and first finger - which had been
consecrated for the purpose. After consecrating the bread, the priest had to
keep his canonicals joined as he performed the other necessary functions. The
paten and chalice, for example, had to be lifted with the third and fourth
fingers.

Moreover, the priest constantly had to sweep his paten for
unseen specks of the sacred bread. For each part was the whole, each crumb a
communion in itself. When the priest administered communion to the faithful at
the altar rail he was always accompanied by an altar boy who carried a special
communion catcher - another paten, the one with a long handle. The acolyte
carefully placed the catcher under the chin of each receiver the prevent the
catastrophe of Christ falling from someone's tongue to the floor. The thin
wafers - so difficult to swallow - always stuck to the roof of the mouth. And it
would be detestable - an unthinkable - sacrilege to scrape it off with one's
finger.

But with the sacramental changes, Catholics were permitted to do
the unspeakable. Suddenly, in many progressive parishes, the sacred Body was
placed in their unholy hands. Worse yet, in some instances it was even
administered by laymen who dipped their unholy fingers into the sacred chalice.
Though they cringed, horrified Catholics were told that it was permissible to
chew it, to receive it standing instead of kneeling, even to drink from the
chalice. Was Christ as truly present in the tangible bread as He had been in the
untouchable wafer? Was this the same Body of Christ that they were allowed to
chew?

No, the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist
was never officially changed. But psychologically it never meant the same. The
change in practice had produced a change in perspective. The sacred no longer
seemed as sacred as it once was. Even the spotless Host had been sullied by
human hands.

But these changes were not meant for Catholics. They were
enacted for the sake of ecumenism. They were designed to dissolve the
differences between Christians "so they might be one." By dissolving these
differences, the Church abrogated its sociological role and turned from its
children. "We're all the same anyhow," they were told, "we're all brothers in
Christ." But hadn't they been told they were different? Hadn't they been assured
that they alone were members of the one true Church? Suddenly, the sheep were
being protestanized before they could bleat in protest. The Latin rite was
sacked and replaced by a modern, mundane liturgy that could not offend the
"separated brethren." With the new Mass, confused Catholics were instructed to
sing Protestant hymns and to recite the once unspeakable Protestant version of
the Lord's Prayer. Moreover, the priests and bishops who had once forbidden them
to participate in non-Catholic services now began to take a leading role in such
services. The Church, with its banners and banjoes, was standing on its
head.

They had identified themselves by their religion. They were
Catholics - that was what they were, who they were. Yet they could no longer
identify themselves with Catholicism. For the changing Church was no longer
their Church. It was no longer the Church of their fathers and
forefathers. And so, many began to turn from the Church as it had turned from
them. In 1965, 80 per cent of the Catholics in America attended Mass on a
regular basis. Ten years later - in 1975, the number of regular attendees had
dropped to less than 50 per cent."